This warming and nourishing soup tastes indulgently creamy but is actually cream-free and healthy.

To serve 4:

• 250g tinned sweetcorn
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 500ml chicken stock
• 500ml semi-skimmed milk
• 250g cooked chicken, shredded
• 2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped

Fry the onion in a little sunflower oil for a few minutes, until softened.

Add the potatoes and sweetcorn and continue cooking on a moderate heat for five minutes, stirring regularly.

Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for about five minutes or until the potatoes start to soften.

Add the milk, most of the chicken, the tarragon and a little salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Put half of the soup mixture into a large bowl and puree with a stick blender until you reach a fairly fine texture.

Return the puree to the pan, add the rest of the chicken and stir well to combine.

Continue cooking for a further five minutes until thoroughly warmed through.

Serve garnished with some crispy lardons and accompany with a fresh crusty roll.

Hints and tips:

You can use the same recipe for chicken and mushroom soup, replacing the sweetcorn with 100g chopped mushrooms.

If you like a thicker, creamier consistency you can add one heaped tablespoon of plain flour to half a cupful of the milk.

Stir until the mixture is smooth and add to the pan with the rest of the milk.

Fresh sweetcorn or dried tarragon work equally well in this recipe.